Researchers find genetically altered Nidoviruses may trigger the next pandemic
Representational image of virus.
Scientists have warned that the'crossbreeding'between different viruses may lead to the emergence of a completely new, altered virus with potentially more threatening characteristics. Such viruses may even trigger another COVID-19-like pandemic, said the virologists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). This natural evolution of viruses occurs as differentvirusspecies create new pathogens inside vertebrates.
“Using a new computer-assisted analysis method, we discovered 40 previously unknown nidoviruses in various vertebrates from fish to rodents, including 13 coronaviruses,”said DKFZ group leader Stefan Seitz.
The unexplored worldof viruses
According to researchers, mostof theviruses are still unknown to humans as scientific studies have focused more on viruses that cause diseases in humans, domestic animals and crops.
But, with the new AI-assisted method, scientistswere able toperuse 300,000 data sets andcouldderive insightful data in one go.
What are Nidoviruses?
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Nidoviruses consist of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and bear common characteristics that distinguish them from all other RNA viruses and document their relationship.
The researchers found that when host animalsare infectedwith different virusesat the same time, a new virus may emerge altogetheras a result ofa recombination of viral genes.
“Apparently, the nidoviruses we discovered in fish frequently exchange genetic material between different virus species, even across family boundaries,”says Stefan Seitz.
This evolution among viruses is more glaring and radical when two viruses fromtotally different families interact.
Such evolution may lead the virus to cause fatal and dangerous diseases to the host animal.
“Agenetic exchange, as we have found in fish viruses, will probably also occur in mammalian viruses,”explains Stefan Seitz.
Such natural crossbreeding processes among viruses may easilytake placein bats that are known to carrya large number ofviruses inside their bodies.
Researchers suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus may also have developed among bats only.
(With inputs from agencies)